Do Police Dogs and Immigration Dogs Get High After Sniffing Drugs for Years?

Often, a common question about police and immigration dogs is whether they experience any psychoactive effects from sniffing drugs. In reality, these dogs do not get high from sniffing drugs. Their primary function is to detect narcotics, and their bodies are designed to process scents without being affected by the drugs.

Training and Body Response

The reason police and immigration dogs do not get high is due to their rigorous training and how their bodies process odors. These dogs are trained to focus intently on the scent of narcotics, and their bodies are not designed to react to the drugs they detect. They are trained to ignore any potential intoxication and maintain their mission, which is to locate illegal substances.

When a police or immigration dog sniffs a sealed bag of drugs, they are simply picking up the scent and not ingesting the drugs in any form. The scent of drugs, even at high concentrations, is not enough to affect their bodies due to the sheer concentration of the odor and the way their noses work. The drugs are detected at minuscule levels, often in parts per trillion, and the dogs are trained not to be affected by these odors.

Myth vs. Reality

There is a common misconception that these dogs are deliberately made to ingest drugs for their scent, but this is far from the truth. The reality is that smugglers often go to extreme lengths to seal or cover up contraband to prevent the dogs from detecting it. The drugs are usually so well concealed that the dogs are barely within sniffing distance, let alone close enough to inhale a detectable dose. Therefore, there is virtually no chance of the dogs getting high.

However, there is a significant risk if the dog encounters an opened or broken shipment of highly potent drugs, such as fentanyl. In such cases, dogs can inhale the product and come very close to death due to an opiate overdose. Fortunately, similar emergency medications used on humans, such as naloxone, can also be used to treat dogs in such situations. This is not the same as getting high; it is a life-threatening condition.

Effectiveness of Drug Detection Dogs

Lastly, some people wonder about the effectiveness of relying on drug detection dogs. The fact is, these dogs significantly enhance the efficiency of law enforcement operations. If a dog signals the presence of drugs, law enforcement can quickly conduct further searches without wasting time.

Take, for example, a scenario where a sealed package of illegal drugs is detected. The dog will alert the handlers, and the police can then use this information to locate the exact location of the drugs. This method is far more efficient than randomly searching for drugs, which would be both time-consuming and less effective.

Conclusion

In summary, police and immigration dogs do not get high from sniffing drugs. Their training and the nature of their work ensure that they remain focused on their mission and do not experience any psychoactive effects from the drugs they detect. These dogs play a crucial role in the fight against drug trafficking and do so with great professionalism and dedication. The next time you encounter a police or immigration dog, you can rest assured that they are not only fearless but also well-trained and in full control of their senses.